Exclusive: ‘The point isn't that it never misunderstands; it's that the user stays in control’ — Plaud tells us why its new AI earbuds want to do more than record your meetings

The Plaud One Explorer Edition is a new wearable AI device designed to capture conversations and produce actions and reports based on those discussions. It can be worn as earbuds or used through its standalone case. The device records calls and in-person conversations and uploads them for transcription and summarization, eliminating the need to write anything down.

Plaud One also has agentic capabilities that can take actions across tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion and Slack based on conversations. However, these broader capabilities will be available in a future update. At launch, users can press and hold the Agent Button and speak to the agent for hands-free activation. Privacy concerns are addressed by manually triggering recording with a button press, informing others of the recording, and following local laws and best practices for recording consent.

The Plaud Agent uses context to identify possible actions, such as preparing a follow-up email or producing a report. However, high-stakes actions requiring changes or deletions outside of the device require user approval. Misunderstandings are caught before becoming high-stakes actions, with the user able to fix or revise the agent's outputs.

Plaud One works independently of a phone thanks to a built-in eSIM and 4G LTE connectivity, with no separate subscription required. Users retain full control over their data, with the ability to access, correct, export and delete it at any time through the Plaud App. The earbuds are primarily recording devices, with High-Res LDAC audio, focusing on capturing conversations for AI notetaking. They are priced at $249.99 / £229 and include $200 / £150 in Plaud credits.